An organizational perspective on implementing BIM for business value: a case study of a large public client

Vass, Susanna

KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Real Estate and Construction Management.

Karrbom Gustavsson, Tina

KTH, School of Architecture and the Built Environment (ABE), Real Estate and Construction Management.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5744-9445

(English)Manuscript (preprint) (Other academic)

Abstract [en]

Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been claimed to improve the construction industry’s productivity, lower the impact on the environment and support innovation. Most BIM research has focused on the technical aspects of BIM and on identifying the effects of using BIM, leaving the organizational perspective mostly neglected. In information systems (IS) research, the organisational perspective has received much attention and the IT business value model has been used to describe what organisational conditions are necessary for business value creation through IT. The IT business value model is applied as a framework when analysing a qualitative case study of a large Swedish public infrastructure clients´ implementation of BIM. The purpose is to explore what organisational challenges are related to implementing BIM for business value creation. The findings show there are both intra – and inter organisational challenges related to implementing BIM for business value, such as challenges in changing work processes, demanding BIM in procurement, providing incentives to BIM, providing new role descriptions and developing common industry-wide standards. The findings offer new insights into what organizational challenges there are related to implementing BIM for business value and develop the theories in construction management and BIM research on value creation through BIM

Vass, Susanna

Abstract [en]

The architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry is often characterized by low productivity, poor quality, slow IT adoption and a low rate of innovation. Building Information Modelling (BIM) has been addressed as an IT based potential solution to many of the industry´s problem and BIM has received much attention in both industry and academia. However, most research has focused on the technical and normative perspectives of BIM, leaving the organizational perspective overlooked.

Lately, the term “business value of BIM” has emerged in the industry. However, the term has not been clearly defined or explained neither in industry nor in research. Yet, it is a term that has been referred to by many industry and governmental agencies, as well as by researchers. Overall, there is a lack of research that explores how the business value of BIM implementation is perceived among BIM users and that explores what organizational challenges that can arise when implementing BIM for business value. The purpose of this licentiate thesis has been to study BIM implementation in the AEC industry by elaborating on the still rather vague concept of business value of BIM and by exploring the organisational challenges of implementing BIM for business value creation; applying an organizational perspective on BIM implementation. Thus, this licentiate thesis has addressed the gap in research on the lack of the organizational perspective of BIM.

The respondents manly perceived the business value of BIM in negative terms, such as for example extra costs. The positive perceptions about the business value of BIM were future desired positive effects not yet realized due to the many intra and inter- organizational challenges of implementing BIM, for example, challenges in changing work processes and work routines, demanding BIM in procurement and providing incentives tied to BIM. In particular, the organizational challenges related to implementing BIM for business value creation was creating and managing organisational change.

This licentiate thesis has emphasized how the perceived business value of BIM implementation in the AEC industry not only is characterized by often negative effects, but that it also is capsized by many organizational challenges that are perceived as hinders towards the potential positive effects. This licentiate has argued for the need for more studies on the organizational perspective of BIM, and in particular, on the organizational challenges of implementing BIM for business value, and thus provided a foundation for future research.